BK16 vs. 17 Seeking a showdown between the 2. Can you help?

L

Lakanen7

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Dec 24, 2012
Messages
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As all of you post that the tweeners are awesome, I am having a hard time figuring out which is a better overall knife to add to the quiver. The short answer is yes, get both (I will in time--> also getting one for my wife for an overall camp knife to add to her SAK). But, the long answer is some of you are making claims that one might be better than the other. So, I would love to see validation of opinions with your anecdotes including pictures and experiences. Adding some science to validate your opinion might help the process too....I love provable statements!

Cheers,
 
IMO both are great knives, personally i wouldnt trade my BK17 for anything but some people prefer drop point over clip point and i think thats what it comes down to for alot of people, im a clip point fan but either knife can handle whatever you could imagine to throw at them

just my two cents, hope it helped
 
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I think the true difference between the two is the height of the grind. Drop or clip point (with swedge) is mostly an aesthetic choice, but the high grind on the 16 makes it much slicier.
 
daizee said:
I think the true difference between the two is the height of the grind. Drop or clip point (with swedge) is mostly an aesthetic choice, but the high grind on the 16 makes it much slicier.
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Thanks for the grind info. It is helpful. I just looked at your knives that you make and the hikers/mountain knives might be some of the sexiest things I have seen for blades. Nice work!
 
Now if you add in the FPR BK16 that changes things. Basically it comes down to this

1. Full Flat Grind BK16: Sliciest option of the three. Drop point.
2. Saber Ground BK16: Not a high grind, so very strong, but not as good a slicer as the FFG. Drop point.
3. BK17: Saber grind, and clipped point. Strength, not as good as slicing, but finer tip for more intricate work.

Drop point is easier on a baton, but not as fine a point so not as able to do finer work. Point is however stronger, so if prying is on the menu, drop point will win.

Really it comes down to what you want to do with it. If you find yourself doing more fine point work, BK17 is the winner, if you find yourself slicing more, FFG BK16 wins, but if you find yourself doing batoning and prying, the Saber Grind FPR BK16 wins. Keep in mind though that in "winning" in any particular manner, it is only by a matter of degrees, and is not a huge difference in performance.
 
DerekH said:
Now if you add in the FPR BK16 that changes things. Basically it comes down to this

1. Full Flat Grind BK16: Sliciest option of the three. Drop point.
2. Saber Ground BK16: Not a high grind, so very strong, but not as good a slicer as the FFG. Drop point.
3. BK17: Saber grind, and clipped point. Strength, not as good as slicing, but finer tip for more intricate work.

Drop point is easier on a baton, but not as fine a point so not as able to do finer work. Point is however stronger, so if prying is on the menu, drop point will win.

Really it comes down to what you want to do with it. If you find yourself doing more fine point work, BK17 is the winner, if you find yourself slicing more, FFG BK16 wins, but if you find yourself doing batoning and prying, the Saber Grind FPR BK16 wins. Keep in mind though that in "winning" in any particular manner, it is only by a matter of degrees, and is not a huge difference in performance.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much. This was an education for me. Any suggestions on reading material to continue the education?
 
I wouldn't listen to me, I am probably drunk, and if I am not, I should be.
 
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